


In Character

by starsnow



Category: American Vandal (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Promposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-07 19:10:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16414223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsnow/pseuds/starsnow
Summary: Peter doesn’t really like PDA. Any small touch and he feels like everyone is staring at them, judging them.So now Peter has to plan an amazing promposal and the only requirement given to him by Sam is, “Just show everyone how much I mean to you.”Why did he have to say everyone?





	In Character

Peter doesn’t really like PDA. Private displays of affection he loves. Anytime they are alone he’s cuddling up next to Sam.  He’s even fine with throwing his arm around Sam’s waist or pecking him on the cheek when it’s just The Morning Show 9 around. But any group bigger than that and Peter just doesn’t know what to do. Any small touch and he feels like everyone is staring at them, judging them.  

So now Peter has to plan an amazing promposal and the only requirement given to him by Sam is, “Just show everyone how much I mean to you.”

 Why did he have to say everyone? It’s bad enough to have his video projects be scrutinized by everyone. Why does his relationship have to be?

So Peter unlocked his phone to text the one person he knows can bounce ideas off. His plan needs to be Gabi approved.

**Peter** :  Are you sure I can’t make him a video? I make really good videos

**Gabi:** You know you can’t just copy what he did last year

**Peter:** Why did he have to make me a video?!

**Gabi:** Because he knew you would love it

**Peter:** Ugh Sam’s too great of a boyfriend it’s not fair

**Gabi:** I guess the world just wants you to suffer

**Peter:** Ha! Come on you have to have at least one idea

**Gabi:** Nope this is all you I’m just the sounding board

**Peter:** You don’t have to like write me a script

**Peter:** I promise I won’t actually use the idea

**Peter:** Wait. Script

**Peter:** Holy shit I think I actually have a good idea

Peter typed it out.

**Gabi:** You have to wait until I’m home from college. No way am I fucking missing this!

* * *

 

Peter waited backstage behind some weird curtain until his cue. He hoped Sam wouldn’t get too suspicious of Mrs. Dennison having the whole cast and crew in the auditorium. God, that was so many people. His hands started to shake a little, but he took some deep breaths and calmed himself down. He would do this for Sam.

He heard Mrs. Dennison call Sam and Alyssa onstage to do their scene. Then Alyssa walked out to the stage wing and pushed the curtain out of the way. She whispered good luck as Peter quietly rushed to the spot she showed him earlier in the day. There he could make it on stage quickly but Sam couldn’t see him yet.

Sam started the scene. “My love’s gone. How can this be?” he cried.

With Sam’s first line all the rehearsals he did with Alyssa flew through his head. He knows this. He can do this. He took one last deep breath, then stepped out on stage saying, “Not yet, not ever again. I promise.”

The auditorium was silent for less than a moment. Sam was frozen on stage, his eyes wide with shock.

Mrs. Dennison called out gently from the audience, “Stay in character!”

That was enough to snap Sam out of his surprise. He could see the Sam’s confidence return as he said the next line, “Peter! You’re back?”

Peter cracked a grin at that; he was hoping Sam wouldn’t be calling him Suzanne.

He had to refocus. Sad. Peter had to be sad for the next six lines before Edward forgave Suzanne. Alyssa put a lot of effort into helping improve Peter’s ability to emote sadness. He wanted to show Sam he could act or at least try to act. He couldn’t be distracted at how cute Sam looked being fake angry.

When the character’s anger died down Sam stepped toward Peter and said the next line genuinely, looking deeply into his eyes, “So you really mean it Peter? You truly love me?”

This was it, the reason he chose this scene.

For the rest of his lines it was love declaration after love declaration. He had made a few changes to the script personalizing it to him and Sam, but using the words of an award winning playwright helped improve both the quality of the writing and his confidence.

He was much more comfortable touching Sam in front of the cast and crew and the audience members he invited when following the stage directions. He could just relax and not be concerned with doing it wrong or going overboard.

As he stroked Sam’s shoulder and cradled his face, he could tell Sam had completely dropped the character, just basking in Peter’s affection and words of love.

As Peter neared the end of his speech, he reached around and gently squeezed the back of Sam’s neck to try to show he was ready for the big finale of the scene.  So as Peter finished by declaring, “And that’s why I will love you forever, Sam!” Sam’s questioning look was returned with a quick nod from Peter.

So Sam dipped him and then kissed him deeply.

Immediately the audience erupted in applause, cheers and a few whistles. But Peter barely heard anything. All that mattered in that moment was him and Sam.

Unfortunately Sam couldn’t kiss him that way forever. So Sam helped him back upright and Peter turned to see Alyssa coming from backstage with the dozen rainbow roses he had given her to hold on to.  He thanked her quickly as he took them.

Then the applause died down, in preparation for the big moment.

Peter held out the roses and asked “Will you go to prom with me?”

Sam was practically glowing as he said yes a half dozen times, taking the flowers from Peter and wrapping him tightly in a hug.

The crowd cheered one more time before Mrs. Dennison announced it was time to continue with the play rehearsal.

* * *

 

They were cuddled up alone next to each other on the tiny love seat in one of the dressing rooms. Sam half on Peter’s lap. The flowers lying on the counter.

“You really did that.” Sam said proudly, holding Peter’s hand and stroking it with his thumb. “In front of all those people.”

“It wasn’t easy. But I know how much it all meant to you. ”

“You acted too!” Sam teased, gently poking Peter.

“It was a onetime thing. Besides I was really only acting at the beginning”

“Of course, Mr. Director. Your sad puppy dog face was so adorable, I’m sure it’ll win you the Oscar”

“Hey it wasn’t supposed to be adorable. It was supposed to be heartbreaking. I spent a while on that face.”

“Yeah must have taken up a lot of time,” Sam replied resting his head on Peter’s shoulder “Getting all the lines right and the blocking and wait, so all those times you were busy working on scholarship essays?”

“Yep, me and Alyssa were practicing. By the way I think you owe me some tuition money now.”

Sam giggled into Peter’s neck, “No way, I paid for it in not getting to spend time with my boyfriend. At least this explains why you weren’t able to just work on them when I was in rehearsal. Alyssa’s the best isn’t she?”

“Yeah she is. But you should have seen when I first asked her to help me. She was completely convinced I was going to yell at her for kissing my boyfriend when I asked her for a private conversation.”

“That has definitely happened to her, twice I think. God, some people’s relationships are so unhealthy.”

Peter kissed Sam on the side of the head. “Luckily our relationship is the best.”

“Of course it is. And just so you know I was impressed with that dip.”

“Yeah?”

“It takes like a decent amount of balance and I know you aren’t exactly the most coordinated person.”

“Well, I got a good amount of practice in.”

“How? No offense to Alyssa, but I’ve seen her struggle to pick up a stack of textbooks.”

“The truth is I practiced with Dylan.”

“Really? That’s great of him.”

“See I wanted to keep this a secret and I figured it was pretty hard for him to accidentally spread it around school since he doesn’t go here anymore. Though I maybe should have thought it out at bit more than that. “ Peter sighed. “ Let’s just say I said ‘and then this is when he kisses me’ and ‘I need to practice everything’ in my explanation of what I wanted him to do and why I couldn’t just practice with Alyssa.”

Sam jerked his head up to look Peter in the eye, “Holy shit! Dylan kissed you?”

“Not like with tongue or anything.” Peter said sheepishly.

“Holy shit. Dylan kissed you.”

“I wasn’t thrilled with it either. I’m not happy with the fact that my second longest kiss that didn’t involve you was with Dylan fucking Maxwell.”

Sam leaned forward to rest his forehead against Peter’s, “How about I make it up to you?”

Peter reached his hands out and to hold the back Sam’s head, “I don’t need another kiss that even tangentially involves Dylan. How about instead we make out because I planned the best promposal ever?”

“Works for me.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> The play they are rehearsing is just something I made up. Hopefully the lines included sound somewhat vaguely like those of an award-winning playwright. Thanks for reading!


End file.
